Hooray for 2009! - Part One

Most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. ~Aldous Huxley

I honestly can't believe that it is the end of 2009! I mean, really? Really? The year is over? It feels as if I just recently became comfortable with writing the number 2009 every night in my Gratitude Journal. But, even if it's hard for me to comprehend how the year has flown by, there's no denying that it indeed has. Not only has the year come to a close but so has the decade. It's all a wondrous miracle and an eye-opening experience because this feeling of how fleeting time is means, to me at least, that I didn't really pay much attention. Somehow, I went into auto-pilot for the past 10 years, or let's say 8 & 1/2, since for the past year and a half I've been in the process of awakening. But, instead of lamenting over the time that I've lost, it's time to take stock of all the incredible things that have happened to me and all of the things I've done and accomplished.

Image courtesy of COLORCUBIC

In my last Magical Manifesters meeting this month, Erin had us write down a few of the things we had manifested over the past year. She broke it down into different areas, such as Work, Personal Life, Career, etc. It was such a great exercise because unless you take the time to acknowledge all of the work you've done, it's very easy to dismiss it all. How many times in the last few days have you heard someone say Good Riddance to 2009! Yeah! They can't wait for this year to be over. . . It was such a bad year! Next year must be better than this one. And on and on and on. The interesting part is that most of these people said the same thing last year, and the year before that, and most likely, the year before that one as well.

This time around, I suggest we all follow Erin's lead and take some time to go over the past year and write down all of things that jump out at you. They could be obvious things like getting a big promotion at work or having a baby to the little things, such as painting your apartment or buying that new winter coat you needed so badly. You can break the lists down into categories, such as Work, Personal Life, Home Life, Relationships, Career, Health, Dreams, etc. Take your time and go through the year and allow these things to come forth. When you've finished with this list or lists, read them over and pay attention to how some of the things you've written down make you feel. This is a great way to determine how your year has gone for you. Do most of the things on your list bring you joy? Happiness? A sense of accomplishment? A sense of Peace? Or, are there areas where an obvious improvement is necessary? What are the actions you could start to take right now to bring that improved state to that particular area of your life?

Making this Year-End List is a great way to be able to visualize all the different parts of your life. Once you've taken stock and are more aware, then you'll be in a much better place to move forward. If you see a pattern that you've been stuck in for the past year, what are some of the steps you can take to get out of it? On the other hand, where did you excel and what did you do in those areas? What action steps did you do, either without knowing or on purpose, to get you where you wanted to be? Can those same steps help you in other areas of your life? See how this works? It all comes down to being aware. What works and what doesn't. Once you know, you are more apt to be able to move forward in the right direction.

Of course, gratitude plays a huge role in end-of-the-year recaps. Love, love, love Gratitude! Hmmm that's another wonderful list to do. I'll go into that on my next entry. I have so many, many incredible things to be grateful for that have happened to me this past year. In addition, 2010 has already started to shine its light . . . it's quite bright . . .

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

'Tis the Season . . .

If instead of a gem, or even a flower, we should cast the gift of a loving thought into the heart of a friend, that would be giving as the angels give. ~George MacDonald

I would like to first apologize for not writing an update sooner. I have been so busy that I honestly didn't have the chance to sit at my computer and write. No, I wasn't busy going nuts over Christmas shopping or pulling my hair out trying to figure out what to give "so and so" and "the other." I've actually been busy creating art and finishing the first of two commissioned pieces. I've been busy envisioning my life in the coming new year. I've been busy enjoying the company of friends and loved ones. I've been busy decorating our home and spending an entire Saturday night listening to new Christmas music from Tori Amos and Mary Chapin Carpenter with Jhon. I've been busy laughing, feeling joy, living the moment, loving, taking it easy, doing IntenSati, looking at our Christmas tree, watching the snow fall, looking forward to time at home . . . these are the things that have gotten my attention.

I haven't set foot in a shop or a mall. I haven't gone into debt trying to buy things I can't afford just out of obligation or to show off. There hasn't been one day so far where the thought of wanting Christmas to be over has entered my mind. Why? Because it has been my intention since the holiday season began, to feel only JOY. It has been my intention to give and receive only JOY. I've made it my intention to focus only on what makes me feel GOOD and in turn, when I'm feeling GOOD, I am able to make those around me feel GOOD as well.

I was struck by some Facebook updates today. So many people were complaining about leaving everything until the last minute. They hadn't bought gifts or had forgotten somebody and needed to run back to the mall. Others were dreading having to wrap 30 presents. Quite a few were wishing Christmas was over and others were asking themselves, "why do we do this to ourselves?" Hmmmm All these depressing updates made me ask the same question actually. Why do this to yourself? Why make the season so overwhelming and dreadful? Why make it so much about the gifts?

There are so many ways to spread holiday cheer that have nothing to do with a Target or a Macy's! There are so many beautiful things you can make yourself that will be treasured and remembered for years to come and not just for a couple of days. There are so many special memories that are waiting to be created and shared among friends and families that will put any store-bought gift to shame. All you have to do is start with the intention to have the best time ever without going crazy. Make it your intention to feel as much loving energy as you can and in return, give that loving energy out into the world. Give of yourself to others and let that be the best gift you give this year. Take a little time to investigate how you can redefine the season. You'll be surprised how all of a sudden, the holiday crunch will seem to have disappeared. In its place will be full-blown holiday cheer. Remember, what you focus on expands . . . what will you give your attention to this Christmas? What really matters?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Intending a JOYfilled season . . .

One With Dreams of Love - 2009

Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love! ~Hamilton Wright Mabie

I didn't grow up with Christmas. My parents were, still are, Jehovah's Witnesses, so Christmas was never a part of my childhood. Therefore, I came into it, the whole tradition of Christmas, not too long ago. My first tree, a small fake 3ft tree, was bought in like the year 2000. Then, once Jhon and I moved in together, that's when I experienced my first real tree, which was pretty amazing.

I write all this just so that it's clear that I don't have any kind of sentimental attachment to the season. But, even with all that, I have to say that the Holiday Season, has become my favorite part of the year. I can feel some of you rolling your eyes or asking out loud, "Are you kidding me?!" Yes, it can get really hectic and out of control. I've seen that. Luckily, I've never experienced anything like that. And, I really believe that with a little focus on what's truly important during the holidays, anyone can make the season a truly magical time. I'm not suggesting to get rid of the presents or the parties or family get-togethers. By all means, these are all wonderful opportunities to share and create and brighten up the lives of many. Herein lies the opportunities to infuse magic into our lives. How awesome is that?

As in every other part of life, we have the power to make this time of the year, just how we'd like it to be. So, with that in mind. . . how would you like to spend this time? How would you like this festive season to be different from years past? What would make you and those around you the happiest? Is it the "things"? Or is it the laughter, the joy, the smiles of those you love. Material things are lovely and opening presents is one of my favorite things. But, what brings me an insurmountable amount of glee is giving someone else a present. Just the act of picking something out or creating it, and wrapping it, then giving it to that person I care about and knowing that they will love it . . . THAT'S the precious part of it all. So, in actuality, it's not the gift itself that brings the joy, it's the ACT of GIVING. Isn't it? Such a simple thing.

The season is filled with opportunities to bring and receive joy from the simplest of things. The smallest gestures have the capacity to change lives. If we all take the time to focus our energy in making the holidays as JOYfilled as possible for everyone around us, that in itself will change the energy around the entire season. It can go from a stressful couple of weeks to some of the happiest ones you've ever experienced. It's all in how we come into it and with what intentions.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Fear of a dark place . . .

A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dark places . . . they can be quite nice . . . if you're sleeping or taking a nap. This wasn't the kind of dark place I ventured into this past Saturday. I woke up and started to get ready for the day ahead, going about business as usual. But, I felt a bit different. My energy was very low and my thoughts kept on focusing on what was NOT going on in my life rather than on what WAS. I tried my best to guide my thoughts in the right direction and for the better part of the morning, early afternoon, I sort of . . . well . . . did my best. Towards mid-day I decided to just go there. I decided to feel as miserable and dark as I wanted to. I wasn't going to fake it or stop it.

This little sojourn into a low and dark place was brought on by Fear of course. I had been battling it for the past couple of days and completely ignoring it the day before (Friday). I finally let it take me down although I was fully aware of the fact that I had within me all it took to come out of it. The first step was to promise that I would only allow myself to be in this state for a maximum of a couple of hours. That was it. I was going to feel the darkness, touch upon the misery, feel sorry for myself but only for the allotted amount of time. The other, was to not keep it a secret or fake my way through it. In the midst of it all I updated my Facebook status letting everyone that read it know what I was going through.

Almost immediately there were responses to my posting. Jhon already knew how I was feeling before the update so he had already given me his support, like he always does. The outpouring of concern and the sending of positive and uplifting vibes was palpable. By the time I got home, I was already coming out of the funk. Jhon had prepared an incredible dinner and we waited until I was fully in the clear before enjoying it. Before I knew it, I was surrounded by my art and by the people I love and love me unconditionally. Affirmations came to mind and I started to repeat them, almost without being aware of it. More than just repeating them, I entered the place of "feeling" them. "The Universe always has the best in store for me." "I am whole, perfect, strong, powerful, loving, harmonious and happy." Two of my favorites that always have the ability to uplift and raise my energy.

Pretty soon I was able to do another status update that declared I was OUT of the dark place and into the light. In hindsight, my little adventure, because why call it anything else, really lasted about an hour total. Less than what I had given myself permission to experience! Ha! That was an awesome realization. The fact that I was able to go through a rough time, willingly, fully knowing that I was responsible for it and to then know that I had the ability to come out of it at any time. Giving myself permission to do feel as terrible as I wanted to, putting a time limit on that, and then receiving all of the positive energy from friends and loved ones are the reasons that I came out of the state so quickly.

Lots of things were proven to me by going through this. At least, for me, personally. First, that it's OK to some times just feel bad, sad or mad and full of rage and still hold on to the power we have within to get ourselves out of it. We always have it. In every single situation we are faced with, we always have control over how we feel. I also realized how important and powerful is the energy of friends and other people around you. I truly believe that when we genuinely send out positive, loving, caring or healing thoughts towards someone else, that is energy being released and sent directly to that person. And, it works. Believe me . . . it really does work. When my friends posted their comments on my update, encouraging me and sending me love and good energy . . . I FELT it. That was just through a computer. Then I received a phone call from another good friend asking me who's ass she had to kick for me . . . ah laughter and more loving and caring energy via a phone call and the sound of her voice. So, it's OK to let people know when you're not feeling 100%. It's OK to let others know how you are feeling and be truthful. The right people will come to your aid or offer just what you're needing.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The return of an unwelcomed friend . . .

Anything I've ever done that ultimately was worthwhile... initially scared me to death. ~Betty Bender

I've recently experienced something quite interesting. I was faced with some opportunities that had in them the potential for great things. They had the potential for some dreams to come true and real results, real change in my life. You're probably thinking, "Great! That all sounds wonderful!" And, you're right. Everything does sound and is quite wonderful. Imagine my surprise when I found myself not really wanting to go through with the necessary steps needed to get these projects rolling!

I actually found myself coming up with excuses not to keep a meeting that had been scheduled for weeks. Then, I started to ask myself whether I really wanted this to happen or that to happen. Was I sure? Did it all make sense? Was it the right time? I had a couple of very important meetings with people that could very well help me on my way. And again, my mind wanted to come up with excuses why I didn't think I was ready for this next step or the other. It was all quite ridiculous. Especially because, thankfully, I knew what my ego was trying to do. I knew what was behind all of it. Our good friend FEAR.

That little bugger knows exactly when to strike. Right at the point of actual change, Fear likes to come in and start to mess with our heads. I couldn't believe it! I actually started to laugh out loud the second I realized Fear was trying to get in my way. And it's such a sneaky thing . . . really quite talented at what it does. If you're not careful, Fear will get you to believe anything. Most of the things Fear was coming up with made sense to me. You know why? Because Fear uses our past against us. It takes our bad experiences, childhood traumas, the unknown, past failures and a slew of other things from our lives and twists and turns them to fit the current situation. So, when Fear gets started playing the tapes in our heads, it all sounds quite true because, well, we've been listening to those tapes for quite a while. The words might be different but the sentiments expressed are the same.

Luckily, I refused to listen to any of it. I stopped Fear dead in its tracks and went ahead with all my meetings, plans and decisions. I kept repeating positive affirmations and focusing on the ultimate goals I was in the process of accomplishing. But, Fear wasn't about to give up so easily. Even with all my armor, Fear dragged me down to a dark place. I'll get into that on Thursday. Until then, think about the role, if any, that Fear likes to play in your own lives. Is it a constant visitor or have you shown it the door OUT of your life for good? Does it stop you from LIVING and REALIZING your dreams? If so, what are you willing to do to take back full control?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Let's include a GLOBAL DREAM . . .

Just a little while ago I told Jhon that I was sad. This wave of sadness came over me. I can't think of anything in my life that can be causing me to feel this way. I really think it's that I'm tapping into the cosmic wave on this World AIDS Day. There's this energy of sorrow due to the millions of lives that have been lost to HIV/AIDS and seeing how it is still a part of us.

I don't want to dwell in this sadness. In order to celebrate those lives, the best thing we can do is to continue to work towards finding a cure. We must continue to educate. We must continue to open hearts and minds. We must continue to envision a world free of disease, free of poverty, free of hunger, free of discrimination.

This is my message today. As we work on creating and realizing our own dreams, let's include a Global Dream. Our powers of manifesting are multiplied when we join together as one. While we meditate or give thanks for all we have, send out a message of hope, peace and love for this Earth. Let our collective energy join in the healing of the sick, in the preservation of our precious natural resources and in the expansion of all that is GOOD.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

A courageous & brilliant "freak" . . . flying high!

It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. ~e.e. cummings

e.e. cummings truly gets to the heart of it all in such simple words. This past week I've been reminded over and over again about the beauty behind being authentic and true to yourself. This has come about due to my new-found obsession with Lady GaGa. I'll try not to make this post an entire love letter to her, but instead focus on what she has sparked in me. The connection that I've made with her goes beyond her music, which I do love. But, like she states many times when speaking about her fans, or little monsters, as she calls them, US!, she sees herself in her fans and we see ourselves in her. We get to raise our "freak" flag right up there with her!!!

This is something that I wasn't aware of when I first started listening to her music, which was really just about a week or so ago. Until then, I had stayed away from her, thinking that she was most likely another pre-packaged act with little talent to back her up. But, since the Law of Attraction works in all areas of our life, it was only a matter of time before I got around to attracting some GaGa into mine. And, I am so elated that it finally happened. I started listening to the music without knowing much about her. Then, via the beauty of YouTube, I was able to go back and learn a little something about the person behind the masks. Which to me is one of the funniest things about her. You'd think that someone that wears so many masks and wigs and in a sense, disguises, would be a total mystery and hard to understand. Someone guarded and strange. This could not be farther from the truth.

I have found her to be so self-assured and poised and, AUTHENTIC. She is pure in her message of acceptance and hell yes! Raise your FREAK Flag high and proud and let everyone around you know that you are one unique little monster. We all are. And in exchange for this revelation, we get the most amazing gift of all: FREEDOM. Freedom to be who we truly are deep down inside. This freedom is evident in Lady GaGa's composure. She's comfortable, SO comfortable in her own skin that at first I couldn't put my finger on it. I watched her interview on Ellen and then on Fuse's On The Record and I couldn't really understand what it was that was so different. Looking beyond her appearance, there was something quite different about this person. And then it dawned on me after watching the Fuse interview for the second time. Here was an individual that was completely at ease with the person she was. That is also such POWER!

Imagine being able to lead your life from an authentic, honest and pure foundation? Imagine the creative abundance that would flow into your life if there weren't any barriers put up to protect you from what the world "thought" about you? This is what being exposed to Lady GaGa has strengthened in me. The feeling of being able to trust my creative talents and listen to my inner guidance. I want to continue exploring all areas of my art and life and music. There are no boundaries when it comes to what we can do when we trust ourselves. And, if everything we do comes from that pure authentic core, there is NOTHING that can stop us from realizing our dreams.

Let's keep working on being in constant contact with our inner being and tapping into that core of truth that is within us all. We have the tools at our disposal to create miracles in our lives. No matter what our outer shell looks like, when we are true to ourselves, the rest of the world has no choice but to fall in line. I don't know about you, but, I'd rather be accepted for the "real" me than for some other "me" I could come up with to try and fit in. That seems rather boring after being Gagacized!

I hope you all had a wonderful week full of Thanks. I thank you immensely for reading and connecting with me. Here's to another week filled with magic! I'll be back on Day-Dreaming Tuesday . . . join me.

Peace and Light and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The importance of being . . . YOU

To be nobody but yourself in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. ~e.e. cummings, 1955

Every Day-Dreaming Tuesday, I send out a text message to what I call the Dream Circle. And in every text, I usually include a quote that inspires the rest of the text. e.e. cummings quote above was part of today's Dream Circle text and it got such a great response that I knew I'd have to write a little more about it this week.

As I wrote in the text earlier today, I am choosing to think that the fight e.e. cummings mentions is really the fight we have with ourselves every day to be our authentic selves. That inner struggle to conform or not conform. I had that every single day when I worked in Corporate America (CA). There were many a times when I'd either sit in my car or stand in front of the building and cried. When I was working downtown at Salomon Smith Barney, I didn't even wait to get to the building. I'd start crying on the 1 train. What I was doing was so far removed from who I really am that it was painful. My entire body was rejecting the job I was doing. Every cell screamed out, "STOP!!! Don't do it!!! Go back! This is wrong!!!!!!!"

Talk about a place that wanted to make you like everyone else! Everybody dressed the same. All the guys had the same haircuts, suits, ties, shoes. No matter how much I tried, it was so obvious I didn't belong there. Make me wear a tie and it literally looks like I have a noose around my throat. Isn't it funny that a tightly knotted tie feels the same as if you were being strangled? I often pictured the invisible hands that were around my throat, forcing me to do what I didn't want to do. I could almost see the hands leading me by this "thing" around my throat. Dragging me around from floor to floor, office to office.

My last sojourn with CA almost landed me in the hospital. The stress of pretending to be someone I wasn't started to give me panic attacks. And, I don't mean once in a while either. I was getting a panic attack every single day, during working hours, usually while dealing with a pissed off client on the phone. It felt like I was dying and in a way, I certainly was. My inner being was slowly being suffocated, not only by the tie around my neck but by my constant betrayal of my authentic self.

After that job was over (I was a temp) I swore to myself that I would never do something so detrimental to my well-being. I mean, I understand that in order to maneuver our way in this world, we do have to abide by certain rules. Fine. But once this means a pushing down and stifling of the person we truly are, that's where the problems begin. It just never works ,does it? We can't last long pretending to be something we're not.

If you've lost that connection to your true being and your authenticity as a human being has been compromised, I ask you to begin the journey of self-discovery. Begin to uncover those things that make you, YOU. Get in touch with the person you came here to be..

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

When LIFE starts making sense . . .

"People living deeply have no fear of death." ~ Anais Nin

Ah . . . "People living deeply have no fear of death." So simple yet so powerful and true. Those words by author Anais Nin really resonate with me. Besides inspiring me to live life to the fullest, they are also a reminder to live in the NOW. At least that 's one of the meanings I come away with. When we're focused on our BLISS, there are no thoughts of death or of wondering what will happen to us when we die. Being present, in the moment, the NOW, awakens within us a sense of being fully alive, and once that happens, we begin to understand how eternal we are.

I remember not too long ago when I had questions about why we were here on Earth. It all seemed so futile. A couple of years ago my dad was hospitalized for like the third time in the same year. Aside from the whole experience being quite horrible, I was also in a terrible state of mind. Rage coursed through my veins. And here I was, visiting him in the hospital every day. Seeing him practically unrecognizable. He was hallucinating and out of it most of the time. Well, I was certainly not happy. One day I sat in his hospital room and started writing this long letter about how horrible things were. I was basically asking why the hell we were here on Earth. What was the purpose of our lives if we came here, worked, suffered and then we died. What was all that about? I wrote pages and pages about what a complete waste of time life was. I just couldn't understand why any of us were here.

I still have that letter, in fact I read some of it a few months ago and it was like someone else had written it. And I understood him. Not because I agreed with what was written, but I understood how someone in his state of mind could think that way. At the time, I had no understanding of much of anything. I wasn't living any sort of life that gave me any kind of joy. I had no hope whatsoever and as I wrote last week, we can't survive long without HOPE. The me that wrote that letter was really a shell of a person living a life that barely touched the surface of anything. I wasn't even close to living deeply. At that time I was so far from my true self that it's really a miracle I survived at all.

So many, many things have changed since I wrote those words. I began to seek the answers to all of my questions about life and my purpose here. Was it just to work at a boring job or to keep struggling to become a famous singer? Or was I just wasting time until I died? I always felt there was a reason for my being here. . . but I wasn't sure what it was. at that point Slowly, when I was ready for it, the Universal answers revealed themselves to me. I began to understand more and more the reason for my existence. Although I don't always make it easy on myself, I do believe and get glimpses of the fact that at it's very core, LIFE is most definitely beautiful and quite easy. I now understand the power I have over the things I see and experience. Every single day I have the choice to live an authentic life and be true to the me that came forth into the physical to experience as much joy as possible.

The more I focus on joy and feeling good, the more reasons the Universe gives me to feel good and joyful. As I concentrate on that which brings me absolute bliss, I keep connecting to my Source. That eternal Source that is everlasting. Any fear of death disappears when you are living this life in the way that you intended when you came forth into the physical. Of course we start to doubt our reasons for living . . . if WE ARE NOT LIVING! The instant you begin to take steps towards revealing what brings you to a state of happiness and bliss, that's the instant life starts making sense. That is the moment you begin to truly experience life like you've never experienced it before. It ceases to be a journey towards an inevitable end but more of a journey that can be packed with a myriad of mind-blowing experiences without end. Life is eternal . . .

So, think about it for the next couple of days. What makes you feel alive? What steps can you take right now to bring some joy into your life? What is your BLISS? What wonderful gift are you here on Earth to give to us?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING

Gene-Manuel

Being inside . . . my human suit . . .

"Life is eternal; and love is im­mor­tal; and death is on­ly a ho­ri­zon; and a ho­ri­zon is no­thing save the lim­it of our sight." ~ Rossiter W. Raymond - put to music by Carly Simon

Life is eternal. . . I truly believe those words. Although I have no knowledge of what happens after we leave this physical body or our human suit, I do have a strong feeling that we just move on. We are brilliant source energy and as we all know, energy cannot be destroyed. Energy can change form but not destroyed. Therefore, if we come from Source Energy, are connected to Source Energy while here in physical form, then we must return to that Source. Abraham mentions that we go back to Source Energy and once there, we're free to decide what to do next. Do we hang out "there" for a while or come right back and choose another life experience?

Ever since I was little, I always felt as if I was "wearing" this body. I remember looking in the mirror and being amazed that I was in there. I could literally feel my spirit, my life force, behind my eyes and inside my body. As I got older, there were times when I'd get a definite sense of inhabiting this human suit. Especially when I first started to meditate and I'd quiet the mind by going inside my body. I would focus on my hands, for example, and how I had them placed on my lap. The feeling of being the force behind the hands was so clear and evident. I wasn't this body that was sitting there on the seat, I was the spirit within. I was the energy giving life to these limbs. I was the force behind the eyes that stared back at me in that bathroom mirror.

Of course, as a child I didn't really have the words to describe what I was feeling. I just knew that the body my parents had chosen to name Eugenio Manuel Parets Larramendi Matamoros (yeah, I know . . . Yikes!), was just that . . . a body. The real me, was that energy inside the body that animated it. There were also times when I refused to answer to my name because it just didn't seem right. Many a times I had a full discussion with my mother, the one that actually chose my name to make my father "happy." I had come up with the reasons why she should have just given me a temporary name and then allowed me to change it when I got older. I explained to her that she really had no right to stick me with such a name that had nothing to do with who I really was. . . Needless to say, Regina wasn't amused. But, this was just part of that knowing. :-)

So, we come here into the physical. We cannot really die, only leave our physical bodies. What now? How do we use this knowledge to have a great time while we're here? How do we tap into this eternalness and make it work for us in the here and NOW? I'd love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to e-mail me and your ideas might show up in one of the next two updates, Thursday or Saturday. In the meantime, here's what I suggest you do. Let's do some mirror work like the little Gene-Manuel used to do. Look in that mirror, deep into your eyes and just be with yourself. See if you can go beyond seeing the physical you and tap into the source inside. Can you reach a feeling of united-separation between the physical and the spiritual? Let me know how that goes as well. e-mail me directly: gene-manuel@whirlingart.com

I'd like to also share this beautiful video from Abraham-Hicks in regards to the Death Experience: Abraham (Physical Death)

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Inviting HOPE . . .

"Learn from yesterday, live for today, HOPE for tomorrow." ~ Albert Einstein

When faced with challenges, we can do many things to try and take care of them. We can face them head on, or ignore them. We can ask for help or try and take care of them on our own. I believe the most important thing to do when faced with a challenging situation, or what most people call a problem, is to really sit with it and ask, "What is this situation here to teach me?" I believe that every boulder that appears on our path is a lesson we are here to learn. And as Louise Hay says in You Can Heal Your Life, some times, as you walk in your own personal journey, a boulder shows up that you've faced before. It's there to see how you handle it this time around. How do you manage to get it out of your way for good? Did you really learn the lesson it is there to teach you?

I came across a boulder just in the last couple of weeks. It presented itself and at first, it seemed bigger than ever. I couldn't believe it. Hadn't I faced this one before and somehow managed to get it out of my way? Why was it here again and this time, BIGGER than ever! It was almost too much for me. I immediately knew that this time around, I needed to get serious and really tackle the issue at hand. This particular lesson had come back, and stronger, because I hadn't really faced it head on the last however many times it had visited me. I had sort of taken care of it, but not really. I had kinda used something to move it out of my way and proceeded to ignore that it was there, at the side of the road, traveling with me . . . gaining speed and veering towards my path.

First thing I did was meditate on the issue. I quieted my mind and asked for help. This is something I've done many times in meditation. Whenever I'm stuck on anything, usually on how to proceed with a certain situation, I turn to meditation for the answer. I believe we have all the answers we need right inside us. What happens is that we allow outside influences and noise and distractions to clutter our minds. The more we allow this to happen, the harder it is to be in tuned with our inner voice that is always there ready to guide us. By quieting the mind, and blocking outside noise, that voice is allowed to rise. In addition, we are able to tap into the Universal Source Energy, that from which we come from and are a part of. Ask and you shall receive.

I meditated and asked for guidance on a Monday morning and by 10:30am, on that same Monday, I had the first of many answers. A good friend had gotten the urge to visit a particular site, for no apparent reason that she knew of. She was about to click off of the site when something jumped out at her and she immediately thought of me. She e-mailed me the link to the site and wouldn't you know it? It was for one of the things I had been specific about in my meditation. The site almost used the exact words I had used in my questions to the Universe. In the past I would've put this down as an interesting coincidence, but, now I know better. My intentions when I meditated were very clear and honest. I was specific in my asking and I got specific answers . . . almost immediately.

This was only the beginning of the work for me. During the course of the week, I had to face that boulder more than once. A couple of times during that week, it felt as if I had somehow ended up underneath it and felt it crushing me. With additional meditation and a constant clinging on to HOPE, I was able to come out from under and once again, face it. I'm still in the process of easing it out of my path for good. This time though, I feel that it's moving easier than before. By setting my intentions and focusing on what's behind this boulder, I truly feel the shift happening. My hope is for this lesson to teach me all I need to know and for me to grasp every single bit of information from it. I wish to learn form the instances I've been faced with it in the past. I wish to deal with it in the present. . . .REALLY deal with it. And finally, I hope for a peaceful resolution. Every day I focus on all the amazing beauty and love and abundance and kindness that surrounds me. Every day I remind myself that everything in my life is perfect. I realize the power I have to manifest miracles. I invite hope into my heart and core and know that I am part of a loving Universe and that ALL IS INDEED WELL.

Be kind to yourself and those around you. If you're facing your own personal boulder, come face to face with it and then ease into it. Ask for divine guidance and listen to your inner voice. You have all the tools necessary to overcome any obstacle that comes your way. All you have to do is listen . . . you know what to do. You always have and you always will.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What would I do without . . . HOPE?

"To sit patiently with a yearning that has not yet been fulfilled, and to trust that, that fulfillment will come, is quite possibly one of the most powerful "magic skills" that human beings are capable of. It has been noted by almost every ancient wisdom tradition." ~ Elizabeth Gilbert

What would I do without HOPE? What would my life be like without that inner spark that continually burns bright in my core? I truly believe that not much of anything would happen to any of us if we didn't have it. If we didn't hope for something better or brighter, or if we didn't believe that there really was magic in believing. Even the most unawakened among us, have some form of hope keeping them on whatever path they're on. There's the hope for a better job, more money, a sunny day, a good weekend, a cure . . . a hope for love, more time, things turning out well. . . and on and on we hope . . . we dream . . . we trust.

In our darkest times, that's when we need hope the most. During times of struggle and hardship, our connection with that inner spark needs to be strengthened. No matter what we may be going through, activating what Elizabeth Gilbert calls our "magic skills" is integral in our capacity to overcome the darkness and shine. It wasn't until recently that I've realized the importance of using anything and everything at my disposal to make myself feel good in times when I'm facing some sort of challenge. It's not a matter of ignoring the situation and pretending that it isn't happening, but rather a shifting of focus. By doing whatever I can to lift my spirits and latch on to a wave of positive energy, keep that hope alive as they say, then the challenge loses some of it's hold on me.

A lot of the times when we're faced with difficulties, it's so easy to be consumed by them and devote all of our mental and physical energies to them. The more consumed we are by what is happening, the worse it seems to get. Of course, this would make sense. What you focus on expands and that goes for the good as well as the bad. And while we're focusing on the challenge, there's very little chance of a solution popping into our heads. Instead, it's quite easy for fear to take over and add itself to the situation. I can tell you that living in fear of something is never a way out of any challenge or difficult circumstance. Fear paralyzes and once paralyzed, it's quite hard to make any kind of rational decisions, if any decisions at all.

If we are able to quiet the mind and put the challenge aside for just a little bit, we can begin the process of coming up with a solution. My usual challenge seems to involve financial issues. It's the one area of my life that still presents itself over and over again without some sort of resolution. I recently came upon this challenge once more. At first, I couldn't believe that it was happening again . . . AGAIN! I almost, almost, gave in to the usual fear and allowed feelings of hopelessness to take over. But, with the help of some of the magical techniques I've learned in the past year or so and some wonderful magical friends, I was able to rekindle hope. I was able to make the shift out of that dark place and at least focus on what was shining bright right here in front of me . . . even in the midst of the challenge.

I'll elaborate more on this in the next entry. For now, sit quietly for just a few minutes and visualize what HOPE looks like to you. If you were able to see a physical manifestation of it, what would it look like? To me, my Dream Symbol also stands for a symbol of HOPE. I see it as that spark that keeps everything lit up for me. Shine!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What if it's only . . . HOPE?

Man can live about forty days without food, about three days without water, about eight minutes without air, but only for one second without hope. ~ Author Unknown

Photo courtesy: fall out of line

Someone asked me recently, "What if all they're selling is "hope?" By they, she meant people like Oprah, Abraham-Hicks, The Secret, Marianne Williamson, Louise L. Hay, etc. etc. I know this because I asked her to tell who they were. She wanted to know if that's all they were really doing? If there was nothing behind their books and TV shows and seminars? If the only real truth they were giving people was . . . HOPE. My answer was, "Maybe that's all they're giving. But, maybe, that's all we need."

As many of you know, I'm a huge Oprah fan. I love the teachings of Abraham-Hicks and find great comfort and truth in the words and affirmations of Louise L. Hay. I've just practically begun my journey into my own personal truth. I'm still learning every single day to break down the patterns of old thinking. There isn't a day that goes by that an old tape wants to start playing in my mind and therefore, competing with my current play list. The old tapes filled with doubt and self-image issues want to get into rotation. The ones that go on and on about how we have to work hard and suffer and nobody likes to work but that's how life goes. You're not supposed to like what you do for a living, you're supposed to just work to make money and have two weeks vacation. And on and on these tapes can go.

But, from listening to Abraham, The Secret, Louise L. Hay and the rest, I have gained the knowledge needed to stop those corroded tapes from spewing their tired old lies. In their place, a symphony of hope begins to play. With a simple affirmation, I can erase the damage of years past. By watching a YouTube video from Abraham, I can raise my vibration to a better-feeling state. By opening a book and reading the soothing and comforting words of Dr. Wayne Dyer, I can view the things around me in a different way and thereby changing the way I let them affect me. By playing a good Oprah episode filled with some one's dreams coming true, I can see evidence of the possibility!

Maybe all they're "selling" is in fact hope. Maybe my friend is correct in asking that question. The thing is, I have no objection to that. There is nothing better than to hope for something. It's what dreams are made of. Little particles of brilliant, smashing pieces of HOPE. Every time I shoot a rocket of desire for something I want, it is HOPE that propels it into the air. I'll delve a little deeper into the connection between hopes and dreams on Thursday. Until then, you know I have to give you a little assignment. :-) Take stock of the little things that bring or give you hope on a daily basis. Those little miracles that keep you moving in the direction of your dreams. They are PRECIOUS* gifts and the more we take notice of them, the more they will multiply to help us on our journey.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

*I went to see Precious this past weekend and I urge you all . . . URGE!!!! . . . to take the time to see this movie. It will leave you breathless, inspired and filled with great HOPE. Talk about believing in the impossible and making it POSSIBLE! Outstanding!

The energy of women . . . divine power!

For the past week, I've been writing about the energy created by the gathering of two or more. I'd like to share with you something that happened to me quite recently at one of my last IntenSati classes. If you don't know what IntenSati is, please read my blog entries here: IntenSati or visit Erin's website directly: Erin Stutland.

Well, this happened at the end of October, which was also the last class of the 4-week workshop. We had just finished the physical part of the class, which really kicks up a storm of amazing energy. Erin then had us form a large circle and had us look around at the people in the room. Really taking the time to acknowledge each other. As I did this, I realized I was the only male in the room. No big deal really. Most of the time there are only a few guys in the Wednesday night class but this night, I was the only one. We then started the process of updating each other on our progress for the month. How did we do with our intentions and what actions did we take to manifest those intentions that we had set at the beginning of the month.

One by one, these amazing women started to share their incredible progress and accomplishments. I was close to the end of the circle so I had time, before I had to share, to really pay attention to what they were saying. All of a sudden I felt it. I was enveloped in a soothing, pure, loving, caring, kind, yet strong and powerful energy. Undoubtedly feminine. Undoubtedly divine. In what felt like flashes, I was given snippets of information about the Divine Feminine and the strength and intelligence in all women. I felt how this could have easily intimidated men and how important to their egos it must have been to weaken the female sex in order to protect said egos. As I looked around this room, the flashes kept coming. I felt how it's all starting to change. How the tide is shifting along with the changing times and how women are more important than ever in our world. I felt a sudden sadness in regards to the state of our planet. Our beautiful, ever expanding planet would be a much different place to live in if women had been given more control over it. There is a reason we call our planet Mother Earth. It is female. It's loving energy is that of a tender yet stern mother and its love for us, her children is unconditional and everlasting. Deep inside I gave a sincerely apology to all of the incredible women of the past whose energy and vision were stifled by the times they lived in. How proud would they be now of their current daughters and sisters.

My turn came to speak and I managed to get a few words out. It was actually about this blog and how I had managed to begin writing three postings per week. I wanted to share a little of what had just happened but we were pressed for time and I also didn't know how I would explain it in just a few minutes. I won't say that I came out of the class with a new respect for women because I have always had that. I've always thought that women were the strongest beings on Earth. I will say that I left the class excited about the future of our world. With women taking a stronger and more powerful leadership role on this planet, things will finally start moving in the right direction. My hope is that there will continue to be a new wave of The Divine Feminine and with a united force, women will lead us into a peaceful, spiritual and loving New Earth! Shine on ladies! Shine on!

I encourage you all, women and men, to do some research on The Divine Feminine and this article by Elizabeth Debold is a great start: The Divine Feminine, Unveiled

Peace and Light to you all and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The power of two, three or more . . . continued

Om is the resonant frequency of the cosmos. In the beginning Om arose from the primal silence of pure consciousness, and from It came forth all that has ever been, is now, or ever shall be. And into It do all things return. - Courtesy of Atma Jyoti Ashram

Back in 1998 I had the opportunity to attend a talk/meditation with Lama Surya Das. I had just read his book, Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World, and although I couldn't find anyone to go with me, I ventured forth and went to the talk alone. This was actually unheard of for me at that moment in my life. I was always very afraid of attending places alone, feeling all self-conscious, etc. But, I had really enjoyed the book and it was an opportunity I didn't want to pass up.

I wasn't sure what to expect since I had never attended anything like it and I definitely had never been a part of a group meditation. So, I was excited and scared and just did what I sometimes do in situations like that, I fake my way through them. I observe and pretend to know what I'm doing. No need to do that in this case since of course, everything was wonderful and everyone was very sweet and respectful and the like. Well, Lama Surya Das' talk was quite inspiring. He basically expanded what he had written about in the book and it was just a marvelous opportunity to get the information from him directly. At the end of his talk, he announced that we would then do a meditation session with him. I was like, Oh man, what's this going to be like. Coming from a Jehovah's Witness background, I had never really been involved in anything like that. There was no meditation taught, spoken or written about in their literature. None of that "going within" to find the answers and definitely, NO CHANTING! That was considered all sorts of wrong! A pathway to the devil for sure. So, at that moment, I really didn't know what was going to happen or how I was going to react to it. Again, I faked it. Well, I faked it at the start of the meditation, but then, something amazing happened.

He had us chant the word OM, but very, very slowly. We held on to the {{{{MMMM}}}} part of the word for quite some time every time it was said. At first my mind wandered and I kept opening my eyes to see what was going on. Then, I started to feel something in the room and in my body. The vibration formed by the {{{{MMMMM}}}} in OM started to take me into a deeper level of awareness. It wasn't only that I was chanting it, it was the also the addition of the entire room of close to 50 or 60 people. All of us united in this beautiful practice and chanting one simple word with so many meanings: OM (or AUM)

Global Om - 2009

The room started to vibrate with the power of OM. I felt it in my face, my chest, my arms, hands and fingers. Even my chair was vibrating. There was this incredible wave of energy that enveloped me and hopefully everyone else in that room. Instead of being freaked out, I was surprised to find myself completely immersed in it. I never wanted it to stop. This feeling of silent knowing and of all that is GOOD is what I had been striving for. Wow!

Well, as you can imagine, the meditation session had to end. Lama Surya Das expertly guided us back to "reality" and the night ended. I remember meeting a friend afterwards and having a hard time explaining to her what I had just experienced. Luckily, she was more attuned into the spiritual and chanting practice than I, so I didn't have to work too hard to explain it. But, that night and that experience has always stayed with me. I had first-hand knowledge of the power that we have at our disposal and how powerful indeed it could be when a group gathers with good intentions. The meditation/chanting also gave me a glimpse into our vibrational world. I felt the vibration of the word OM literally changed the atmosphere in the room until it became that loving wave that could be felt!

It had been years since I felt anything like that, but recently, I felt something very close to it. It happened at one of my last IntenSati sessions. This time, the feeling went a little beyond a wave of energy. It was more of a knowledge that was given to me. I'll go into details on Saturday. Until then, I encourage you to gain some knowledge about chanting meditations. Here's one to help you get started: OM Meditation

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

The power of two, three or more . . .

"The human mind is a form of energy, a part of it being spiritual in nature. When the minds of two people are coordinated in a SPIRIT OF HARMONY, the spiritual units of energy of each mind form an affinity . . . " Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich)

When I was growing up, I remember reading and hearing the following words from the bible: "Where two or more are gathered in my name, there I will be . . . " or something like that. I remember being fascinated by that possibility. It was one of the few things in the bible that I found interesting. In all honesty, I'm not a fan of the book and most of what's written in it. Maybe it's the way it gets interpreted, but any book that blatantly calls for the discrimination of people, isn't at the top of my Book Club Selection list. But, that's for another blog entry at a later date. Returning our attention to those words, I do remember being intrigued by them, especially as a little kid. I remember asking my mom to really explain them to me. What exactly did they mean? Who was present? Jesus? Jehovah? Who!??

I think she said that it was Jesus and maybe a few of the angels or something. Well, I was even more interested in the whole thing. I kept on waving my hands through the air trying to see if I could feel anything. Much to the horror mixed with amusement of my mother. There was something that rang true to me about the statement. I actually felt deep down inside that this was something possible and true. I was too young to really understand it, but most likely, what I felt was the energy that Mr. Napoleon Hill talks about. Whether I agreed with what my mother and the other Jehovah's Witnesses were doing or worshiping, just the fact that they were together and united in one room with the same purpose, this was creating an energy force. In this case, we were dealing with Communist Cuba where my parents and other JWs weren't really allowed to practice their religion in freedom. Therefore, these clandestine gatherings were all they had. It was their only way of communicating and sharing their hopes and beliefs and love for their god. So, yeah, there was definitely an energy in the room and I was definitely tuned in to something going on.

As the years passed and we left Cuba and I became less and less willing to deal with the JWs, I forgot all about this. It wasn't until recently when I read Napoleon Hill's Think and Grow Rich that I remembered those words from the bible. I also remembered that Eckhart Tolle had briefly spoken similar words during the Oprah webinar for A New Earth last year. I think he mentioned that due to the technological advances with the web and Skype, etc., we were all united in sharing the same energy. I'm not sure of his actual words but it was basically this concept of two or more people coming together for the same purpose and what an amazing energy and force it created. I was again extremely intrigued and fascinated by the whole thing.

Can two or more people gathered together for the same purpose or with the same objective in mind, really have some power? Are they generating some energy that only those people at that moment can produce? Hmmmm I've seen what can happen when a mob gets together with the intent to destroy. It does seem like there is an energy that goes from person to person and builds in that kind of situation. But, in a more controlled setting, can healing, supportive, caring, peaceful and loving energy be produced? Is that energy a powerful energy, able to soothe, calm, support or inspire?

I know it is! It's not only possible but in many ways, it's necessary. The need for our coming together as humans has never been greater. I've had many amazing experiences lately when I've been involved in groups of like-minded, beautiful people. I'll share some of these this week. Until then, be aware of what kind of energy you are conjuring the next time you interact with another person. Is it loving, kind, caring, for the greater good?



Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

You have absolute control over . . . YOU

"Poor is the man, whose pleasures depend on the permission of another." ~ Madonna (Justify My Love)

Ha ha! Although I'll use any excuse to use a quote from Madonna, those words have always meant a lot to me. When I first heard these lyrics, as part of the "Justify My Love" song, I was a young kid still struggling with my sexuality. Therefore, I took them to heart as a message to be myself. That I had the right to love and be loved no matter what the world at large thought of people like me. The words kept repeating in my head. "Poor is the man, whose pleasures depend on the permission of another." It still took me about a year or so after this song to fully accept who I was. Part of this included the acceptance of the fact that in life, we sometimes have to deal with others not liking us for their own personal reasons. And the big lesson there is not letting this ever stop us from leading a fantastic, free and authentic life. No matter who these people are.

This quote applies to life, period. Poor is anyone that lets their own happiness rest in the hands of another person. When I decided to accept myself completely, that was all I needed to do. I'm not saying it was easy to come to the realization that by me coming out to my parents, I ran the risk of losing them forever, but you know what? If my being gay was going to do that, then they did not deserve me in their lives. I wasn't going to let that possibility get in the way of living a life free of hiding. The more I lied to them the worse I felt. I also realized that it was my responsibility to be honest about who I was. Whenever I lied to them, the one that was truly being deceived and ultimately hurt, was me.

With the understanding that we have absolute control over our lives, comes some responsibility. Nobody can do anything to you. Nobody can make you feel small without your permission. Nobody can make you feel less-than without your permission. Nobody can make you feel happy, sad, worthless, glorious, fabulous, etc. without YOUR permission. Granted, as children, without the proper tools or life experience, it's quite easy to get caught up in that cycle of letting others dictate how you feel. But, as we grow older and more experienced, there comes a time when we have to realize it's all in our power. Blaming others for how we feel is no longer a viable option.

When you fully understand that your happiness, well-being, peace and calm rests within you, it's a whole new game of life. NO LONGER can your mother drive you crazy without your permission. NO LONGER can that co-worker make you crazy because of what he or she does or does not do. NO LONGER can you be mad at your boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse because they didn't act how you wanted them to act. My happiness begins and ends with me. My staying cool, calm and collected under a stressful situation all depends on how I react to said situation.

To quote Richard Bach, ""If your happiness depends on what somebody else does, I guess you do have a problem." The majority of the time, people will not act the way you'd like them to. It's just the way it goes and there's no other way around it but to accept each and every one just as they are. Accept full responsibility for how you make yourself feel. It's empowering to know that within you lies the secret to a joyful, peaceful, happy life. No one can get through unless you allow them. Once you get the hang of it, the instances when you do lose your cool due to somebody's behavior, will become less and less. And when you do fly off the handle or let some instance make you nuts, you'll immediately be aware of it because it will feel unnatural. You'll know that you've temporarily given your power to somebody else. It'll be easier to regain it and go on with your happy self!

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Right from the start, you "know" . . .

"It was much more important to you to recognize the existence of your own Guidance System, and to utilize it, than to be deemed correct by, or to find approval from, others." - Abraham-Hicks (The Vortex - Where The Law of Attraction Assembles All Cooperative Relationships)

The sentence above comes from Abraham-Hicks' new book, The Vortex. It appears as part of a chapter dealing with our relationship with our parents and how from birth, we already come with our own sets of beliefs, desires and actions we want to take in our lives. This is something I completely relate to and wholeheartedly believe in. I might not remember many things, such as what I had for breakfast this morning or the plot to a movie I've seen 100 times, but I distinctly remember this feeling of "knowing" all I needed to know when I was very little. I have vivid flashes of looking at my parents and thinking, "What?! Are you kidding me lady? Don't you know this is how it's done?" And, I also had no inhibitions whatsoever! Don't you remember a little of that? Or, if you don't, just observe a baby or a toddler and see how free they are. They know what they like and don't like and let you know with high-pitched screams, either of delight or anger. :-) They're not afraid to do anything and try everything. Brilliant little beings still so fully connected to the Source from which they came from.

As we get older and our well-meaning parents have taught us a thing or two, and we start dealing with other children in school, we start to lose that pure connection to Source Energy, or our Inner Being. As the connection begins to fade, our ability to trust ourselves implicitly also takes a beating. We start asking ourselves a myriad of questions before we take action. "What would mom and dad think of what I'm doing?" "If I wear this to school, I might get made fun of or picked on." "If I act this way, people will think I'm weird." And on and on and on. By the time we make it to the teenage years, it's a wonder we leave our rooms at all. It feels as if the entire world is always judging you, ready to make fun of you, or controlling your every mood.

How we survive these years and the shape in which we make it to adulthood depends on a variety of factors. Such as, what type of parents you have, religious influence, environment, etc. Personally, I was raised by Jehovah's Witnesses, lived in Communist Cuba until I was 8 and knew I was gay since I was about 4 or 5 (well, I knew I was different). Ha! With all of these factors active in my life experience, I learned to fake it to survive. But, luckily enough, I somehow kept that connection to Source that told me I was alright. I never felt a need to fully compromise myself in order to fit in or please other people. Even when those other people were my parents. I faked my way through the many years of going to Jehovah's Witness meetings and preaching door to door. What I mean is that I would do what they asked of me, up to a point. They wanted me to go preaching door to door on a Saturday morning? I'd go, but they weren't going to make me speak to anyone. They wanted me to participate in the weekly meetings and give short speeches? I'd do it, but I wasn't going to be the one preparing the speech or doing any of the research for it. I politely explained to my mother that if she wanted me to do it, she'd have to prepare the entire thing for me.

Many times we give too much of ourselves over to others in order to please them or have them like us. This is especially easy to do when it involves our parents or family members and we think that because we're blood related, then we must love and like each other no matter what. It becomes too important how another person feels about us. Too much control is then given to another. I've always had a different way of looking at these relationships, but I'll continue this on Saturday. Until then, take a few minutes and check on your connection to your Inner Being. Who's in control of your feeling good? Who are you trying to please and why? Does your happiness rely on what another person thinks about you or the way you live your life?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

What others think about YOU is . . .

What other people think about you, is none of YOUR business. - Unknown

In the brilliant work of Byron Katie, she mentions that there are three businesses. YOUR business, OTHER people's business and [THE UNIVERSE'S] business. Can you guess which is the one business we have to be concerned with? Yup. OUR business. That's it. If you mind your own business, and only your own, can you imagine the amazing things that would be accomplished?

In doing some research for these series of entries, I came across this small article where a sweet lady that had just turned like 102 or something like that, was asked how she get to live so long. Her answer? "By minding my own business." Ha! You know what? I believed her. It makes total sense to me that this incredible woman is still living a wonderful life by minding her own business. Which to me translates into her paying attention to her own life and not what "so and so" are doing. This in turn gave most likely gave her the opportunity to be more in tuned to her needs and to really be aware of what it was that she really wanted to do with her life. Well, I'm just guessing since there wasn't much detailed information on her life but, doesn't it make sense?

When we spend precious energy in trying to find out what other people are doing with their lives or what they think about our lives, we are neglecting what really matters. We are neglecting taking care of our own business, our life. If you look at our time here on Earth as a job, then what we are meant to do is to create and experience life! Our life is our business. The more time we devote to ourselves the better the outcome. This is true whether we're speaking of our physical bodies or our spiritual selves. When the focus of our attention is in making ourselves happy and living a JOY filled life, then the rest just doesn't even come into our experience.

I'm not by any means saying that we need to be these selfish beings and that everybody else doesn't matter. I'm all for doing what we can for the greater good, always. I'm really talking about the times when we stop ourselves from truly living in authenticity. Either because we're too busy worrying about what others will think of us or way too busy caring about what others are doing with their own lives. This then grows into all these different directions. Not only do we suffer but we are then giving so much control to other people. Think about it. When your own well-being or sense of self is based on what others think of you, who has the power? When your feeling good depends on how another person is feeling or behaving, who has the power?

I'll continue this on Thursday but for now, let's take stock and become aware of who's business we're into. Is it our own or have we been a little neglectful due to overtime activity in someone else's?

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel

Follow your bliss . . .

BILL MOYERS: Do you ever have the sense of... being helped by hidden hands?

JOSEPH CAMPBELL: All the time. It is miraculous. I even have a superstition that has grown on me as a result of invisible hands coming all the time - namely, that if you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. When you can see that, you begin to meet people who are in your field of bliss, and they open doors to you. I say, follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.

Oh, to follow your BLISS . . . follow your BLISS . . . listen to your divine inner guidance and follow . . . your . . . B L I S S. Even just saying the words sparks a little joy within doesn't it? Say it out loud and see how it makes you feel. "FOLLOW YOUR BLISS"

I'm sure I had heard these famous words before but the one time I read them and truly felt them touch my core was when I was reading Anderson Cooper's book, Dispatches from the Edge. He writes about one of the most important things his mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, ever told him, and that was "follow your bliss." I remember reading these words and thinking, "Wow!! What a fucking phenomenal thing to tell your child. 'Follow your bliss.'" This was at the very start of my search for my own personal bliss so I hadn't even heard of Joseph Campbell and his outstanding work.

Since then I've read, heard, and felt these words many, many times. They are the driving force behind my art and my life. They encapsulate the ultimate secret to a joyful life! Once we start to follow our own beautiful, precious, stunningly clear and simple BLISS, then it's all downstream from there. Downstream and fast without oars. Life becomes the incredible adventure it is supposed to be.

Like Mr. Campbell says above, once we start to follow our bliss, we are then connected with that path that has always been there. I'm a strong believer in how we come into this amazing world full of the knowledge that we need to flourish and shine throughout our physical experience. That's our BLISS right there. Along the way, the majority of us get distracted and subsequently thrown off course and following our Bliss doesn't even enter our minds. But, what we are born with, that brilliant inner light that I've been writing about this past week, that light is always there. No matter what we go through or all the things that have made that light get so dim it's almost gone out, no matter what, that light is still there because it is divinely connected to our Source. Call it God, Universal Energy, the Universe, Divine Light or BLISS . . . no matter what you call it, this connection is never broken. Our job then is to get with it and start to follow this bliss by letting this inner light guide us there.

The big question for me at one point was HOW?!! How do I follow my bliss? Shit! At one point I wasn't even sure what my bliss was let alone how to follow it. How could I follow something I couldn't identify? I mean, I had a few things I knew I loved doing and wanted to do, mainly my music and some acting, but it just seemed as if I wasn't motivated enough to follow them with passion. So, there came a point when I basically started asking for the answer. What was my bliss? What was I meant to do? I wrote a little bit about this here: Inspired Action (I) & Inspired Action (II) And this is how I finally came to following my bliss. I came to understand what would make me so incredibly happy and filled with joy. Once I started on that path to connecting with my inner light, slowly and carefully raising that dimmer switch on it, then it became easier and easier to see the path that would allow me to follow my own personal bliss.

I'm still on that journey. Some days I make it easier on myself than on others. But, the majority of the time, if I focus my attention on all the good in my life and on the things that make me happy, then I know I'm still following bliss. I hope to continue on the path and write about it along the way. I invite all of you to start your own journey and really tapping into your very own special inner light. Allow it to then illuminate your way towards bliss. It can be a little scary at first, but the more you trust, the easier it gets. I promise. FOLLOW.

Peace and Light to you and KEEP DREAMING!

Gene-Manuel